"Dear Ava is heartwarming and angsty and don't get me started on Knox. Read this book! You will love Ava's fight and Knox's alpha."
--Tijan, New York Times bestselling author
Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers a gripping enemies-to-lovers, secret admirer, high school romance with Dear Ava, available now!
The rich and popular Sharks rule at prestigious, ivy-covered Camden Prep. Once upon a time, I wanted to be part of their world--until they destroyed me.
The last thing I expected was an anonymous love letter from one of them.
Please. I hate every one of those rich jerks for what they did to me. The question is, which Shark is my secret admirer?
Knox, the scarred quarterback.
Dane, his twin brother.
Or Chance, the ex who dumped me. . .
Dear Ava,
Your eyes are the color of the Caribbean Sea.
Wait. That's stupid.
What I really mean is, you look at me and I feel something REAL.
It's been ten months since you were here, but I can't forget you.
I've missed seeing you walk down the hall.
I've missed you cheering at my football games.
I've missed the smell of your hair.
And then everything fell apart the night of the kegger.
Don't hate me because I'm a Shark.
I just want to make you mine.
Still.
Caroline's Review
✮✮✮✮✮
Top Read 2020
Wow! Wow! Wow! This was such an addictive read. Thrilling, intense and emotional. All the words. All the feels. I loved it so much. My first Top Read of 2020!
"He won't take his eyes off me. I watch with fascination as Knox bites his lower lip, digging in deep, so hard I expect to see blood bloom there."
Ava has been away from her elite private school for ten months, dealing with a trauma that has left her ostracised from her peers. Not only does she have to deal with the fallout of the scandal, but she has to deal with the Sharks - the ruling rich kids of the school. However, she has her reasons for coming back and she'll be damned if anyone tries to scare her away. What she doesn't expect is a tentative friendship with the King Shark, even though there's always been a weird tension between them.
"Part of me never wants to see her face again, but the other side of me...well, that's the one I have to worry about."
Knox Grayson, King Shark, famous for being the school's star QB, infamous for his under-the-bleacher girls, known for never kissing on the lips. Scarred, broody and surly. He wants Ava but she's forbidden to him for so many reasons. However, the intense yearning he feels towards her consumes him. She's back and single, and no matter how hard he tries, he can't stay away.
"Kissing him is like I've spent a day in the sunshine, and when night comes, the stars will only shine for me."
Gaaaahhh!! I was completely hooked on Ava and Knox's story. Ava is a such a strong heroine with so many reasons to play the broken, helpless card but her spirit endures. SHE endures. Her indomitability is fierce, breathtaking and awe-inspiring. She lost something of herself through her traumatic experience, but she's looking to take it back by strutting back into her own personal hell.
Knox is a seemingly assholey guy but underneath his scarred facade lurks a beautiful, vulnerable soul, looking to protect those he loves. I appreciated that even though he was old enough for sexual intimacies, when it came to the really hard adult issues that life is made of, he acknowledged the fact that he was just a kid and ill-equipped to deal with them.
"You have to take a good long look at me, a f*cking long look and see what I'm made of, what makes me tick, and it's about you."
There's a real dichotomy in this book between the hard-to-deal-with issues and the sheer romance of Ava and Knox. Their connection is incredible, their chemistry exquisite, their passion for one another overwhelming, and their strength took my breath away. I loved the progression in their relationship and I absolutely swooned at their gorgeous, emotional ending.
I have yet to read a less than stellar book by this author. She is totally my jam!
Top Read 2020
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Excerpt
“Where’s Chance?”
He whips off his sweat-covered jersey along with the pads underneath. “I don’t keep tabs on my best friend for you. Get out—before I scare you.”
He’s scaring me already.
But I can’t stop looking at him.
His shoulders are broad and wide, his chest lightly dusted with sparse golden hair, tan from the sun, rippling with powerful muscles, leading down to a tapered and trim waist. He has a visible six-pack, and my gaze lingers briefly on a small tattoo on his hip, but I can’t tell what it is. He isn’t brawny or beefy-looking like one might expect from a guy blessed with his athletic prowess, but sculpted and molded and—
Dropping my gaze, I stare at the floor. I shouldn’t be ogling him. Chance is my maybe-boyfriend.
I hear male laughter from one of the rooms that branch off from the locker room, maybe the showers, and I deflate, guessing that’s where Chance is.
Glancing up, I intend to ask him to tell Chance I came by to congratulate him on his two touchdowns, but my voice is frozen. Knox has unlaced his grass-stained pants and is shucking them off. His legs are heavily muscled and taut, unlike the leaner build of Chance. His underwear are white and tight, cupping his hard ass, the outline of his crotch—
“Like what you see, charity case? You can look, but you can’t touch.”
Anger soars, replacing my embarrassment. I know I'm just the scholarship girl at Camden, but why does he have to constantly remind me?
“Don't worry about me touching anything. I don’t like ugly.” The words tumble out before I can stop them. I meant his superior attitude, not his face, but I see the moment when he freezes and takes it the wrong way.
He touches his face, tracing his scar while his jaw pops. “Get the hell out. Only players allowed in here.”
I pivot and go for the door, forcing myself not to run. “Asshole,” I mutter.
His laughter follows me.
About Ilsa Madden-Mills
Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.
Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.
A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.
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Website: https://www.ilsamaddenmills.com
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